Macrianus Minor
Usurper of throne of Roman Empire (died 261)
Macrianus Minor | ||||
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Usurper of the Roman Empire | ||||
Macrianus on a coin
celebrating Eternal Rome . [1] |
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Reign | 260-1 (with Quietus ) | |||
Predecessor | Gallienus | |||
Successor | Gallienus | |||
Died |
261
Illyricum |
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Father | Macrianus Major | |||
Mother | ? (of senatorial descent) |
Titus Fulvius Iunius Macrianus (died 261), also known as Macrianus Minor , was a Roman usurper . He was the son of Fulvius Macrianus , also known as Macrianus Major. [2]
Career
Although his father was from an equestrian family, [ citation needed ] Macrianus Minor's mother was of noble birth and her name, possibly, was Iunia. According to the often unreliable Historia Augusta , he had served as military tribune under Valerian . [2]
Macrianus, his father and his brother Quietus , were in Mesopotamia in 260, for the Sassanid campaign of Emperor Valerian, when the Roman army was defeated, and the emperor was captured. [3] With help from his father, who kept the imperial treasure, and by the influence of Balista , Valerian's praefect , Macrianus gained the imperial office together with his brother Quietus , [3] through the election by the army, in contrast with the lawful Emperor Gallienus , son and co-emperor with Valerian, who was far in the West. The two emperors and brothers were recognized in the eastern part of the Empire, having a stronghold in Egypt , the grain supplying province for the city of Rome .
After having temporarily secured the Persian frontier, Macrianus Major and Macrianus Minor moved to the West to attack and eliminate their rival Gallienus. [ citation needed ] They were however defeated in autumn 261 by Aureolus , [2] and later killed by their own soldiers at the father's request. [ citation needed ]
Cultural depictions
Macrianus appears in Harry Sidebottom's historical fiction novel series as one of the series' antagonists. [ citation needed ] .
See also
References
- ↑ The coinage of Macrianus and of his brother and co-emperor Quietus celebrated the army, the confidence in victory, and the foreseen arrival of happy times. All of these themes were very important in a time of emergency, when the Roman Empire had lost its Emperor in battle against the Sassanid Empire , and the army was deep in enemy territory.
- 1 2 3 Jones, pg. 528
- 1 2 Körner, http://www.roman-emperors.org/galusurp.htm#Note%202
Sources
Media related to Macrianus Minor at Wikimedia Commons
- Körner, Christian, "Usurpers in the east: The Macriani and Ballista", s.v. "Usurpers under Gallienus", De Imperatoribus Romanis
- Jones, A.H.M., Martindale, J.R. The Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire, Vol. I: AD260-395 , Cambridge University Press, 1971
Political offices | ||
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Preceded by |
Consul
of the
Roman Empire
261 with Quietus , Postumus , Gallienus , Lucius Petronius Taurus Volusianus |
Succeeded by |
International | |
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National |